One of the regular features on this blog is “This Just In,” which consists of brief news items that strike me as noteworthy — funny, bizarre, or whatever. Many are police-blotter type stories.
In April, I ran across a beauty of an item that was perfect for “This Just In.” It was about a police chase in South Georgia that was so over the top, it seemed straight out of Hollywood.
At the time, however, the alleged perpetrator was still at large. Until the cops caught the guy, as they inevitably do, the story would have no closure.
For the next few weeks, I Googled the incident regularly as the perpetrator continued to elude law enforcement. Then, in late May, the authorities finally got their man.
By then, it was clear that a brief “This Just In” summary would be, in this instance, woefully inadequate. This tale deserved a fuller accounting.
Accordingly, I’m pleased to present a special edition of “This Just In” that depicts the saga in more detail.
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FOLKSTON, GEORGIA, April 22, 2016 — A Georgia State Patrol unit today pulled over Roy Dwayne Ruis, 26, of Danielsville, Georgia, on a routine traffic charge. Ruis was described as a white male, 5′ 9″, 130 pounds, with a Cadillac logo tattooed on the back of his head.
While the trooper was writing a citation, Ruis jumped from the car and escaped into a wooded area.
Several hours later, a K-9 unit from the Folkston Police Department tracked down and cornered Ruis. He was arrested and placed in the back of an FPD patrol car in handcuffs.
Somehow, Ruis slipped out of the handcuffs. Before the officers could react, he jumped behind the wheel of the patrol car and sped away.
A few miles away, Ruis crashed the patrol car in a field and again fled on foot. According to officers, a handgun was missing from the patrol car. Despite an intensive manhunt, Ruis escaped capture.
Nineteen charges were filed against Ruis, including felony escape, theft of an auto, fleeing from police, interference with government property, and possession of a firearm during a crime.
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DANIELSVILLE, GEORGIA, May 10, 2016 — Roy Dwayne Ruis, 26, who in April escaped from police in South Georgia by stealing a patrol car, last week avoided capture twice in Madison County.
According to a spokesman for the Madison County Sheriff’s Department, officers were assisting U.S. Marshals from Savannah who had information that Ruis was in North Georgia. On two occasions, Ruis fled just minutes before officers closed in. During the manhunt, authorities brought in tracking dogs and a helicopter.
Police arrested a 29-year-old Danielsville woman for taking undisclosed items to Ruis at an outlet mall on I-85 near Commerce. She is charged with hindering the apprehension of a criminal and with drug possession.
The spokesman said Ruis has been known to local police since 2008, when he was arrested for theft. In 2013, Ruis was sentenced to five years in prison for theft by taking, receiving stolen property, and first degree arson.
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COFFEEVILLE, MISSISSIPPI, May 25, 2016 — A Georgia man who eluded police dragnets for several weeks has been captured in northern Mississippi. Roy Dwayne Ruis, 26, faces charges in Yalobusha County for stealing three vehicles and burglarizing a residence.
Police said Ruis had been hiding out at the Coffeeville home of his sister Amanda Ruis, who was arrested and charged with aiding and abetting a fugitive.
The Yalobusha County Sheriff said nine law enforcement agencies converged on Coffeeville following tips that Ruis was in the area. They were able to link Ruis to the thefts of a Dodge truck, a Ford truck, and a Chevrolet Camaro.
On May 22 after nightfall, a homeowner reported that he found Ruis inside his house and briefly held him at gunpoint. But when Ruis realized the man was not a law enforcement officer, he cursed him vigorously and ran, dodging a hail of bullets.
Around midnight, another homeowner reported that an intruder had stolen clothing and food and fled. Authorities converged on the area and began a systematic search.
Ruis was found crawling down a ditch in an effort to escape the cordon. He was apprehended without incident.
The sheriff said that in addition to the charges filed in Folkston, Danielsville, and Coffeeville, Ruis also may face charges in Florida and Alabama.
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The mug shots…
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Three observations about the Ruis drama…
First, I am disappointed that I couldn’t find a photo of the Cadillac logo tattooed on the back of Ruis’ head.
Second, I don’t know much about tattoos, especially such elaborate ink as you see in Ruis’ mug shot, but two of them stand out:
— You’ll note the “706” inside a map of Georgia on Ruis’ left shoulder. As I understand it, some gangs members get tattoos that identify their location. 706 is the North Georgia area code.
— You’ll also note, if you look close, the words “Country Boy” in the center of Ruis’ chest.
Third, as I reported above, Ruis was sentenced to prison in 2013. Here are the details from a newspaper report at the time:
“Roy Dwayne Ruis, 23, 853 Diamond Lane, Royston, was sentenced to five years confinement and five years probation for two counts of theft by receiving stolen property. He was sentenced to five years confinement, 10 years probation for arson in the first degree. He was sentenced to five years confinement and five years probation for four counts of theft by taking. He was fined a total of $2,460.”
Why Ruis was out of the slammer, I couldn’t determine. But it’s a safe bet he’ll be back inside real soon.
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